Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-21
A BIG BLAZE p!
HEAVY FIRE IN THE HEART OF BUR-
LlNGTON.
Strong's Building Gone at Last tite con.
fined to that Building-Noble Efforts
of the Firemen Loss $4,000 to
$50, 100000
to $4,000.

OouhdSldllOl, from Inc obstruction DN IRE
of the old wooden block structure known
as Strong's Building has disturbed the
business men of Burlington. The build
ing mas gone at last and gone by itself.
Thanks to the favorable conditions of wind
and weather, which could not have been
more favorable if the time had been Sc
lected Tor 1.-THE fire was confined to the
block. This was almost wholly destroy
ed, but burned so slowly under the tor
rents OF wat poured upon it, and was kept
under such control that the surrounding
property was not long in any very serious
danger. If the building had burned on
some of the cold and windy nights WI.
have had lately, the flames would proba-
bly,, have swept through Church street,
and nothing could have prevented an i'm
mense destruction of property.
The fire was first seen about a little be
fore midnight, i'll the cellar under Nc
killip's store by policeman and about
the same time some of the Ethan Allen
company, who were coming from their
rooms, saw smoke issuing from the front
OF Mr. Strong's store. general alarm
was given and the firemen FASTENED to
the spot, the Ethans already having got
ont their cart and attached their hose to
the hydrant near the Howard bank. In a
Remarkably short time smoke began to
issue from under the edges of the roof
over Huntington * Co S store. Shortly
afterward the flames broke through the
partition at the rear of Mr.. McKilip's
store accompanied by the simultaneous
oulburst OF a dense volume of
smoke from the front part of Mr.. Strong's
store, showing that an opening had been
burned between the two stores sufficient
to create draught The other fire com
panles had now reached the spot with the
exception of those located in the extreme
parts OF the city, and the work of fighting
the flames begun with "A will nnhrS
and windows We're broken in and
the gathering crowd of spectators
showed commendable prOmptness
i'll sprluging to the assistance of the fire
men not needed at the hose in saving the
contents OF the stores As soon as the
front If McKlllip's store was broken IN
the flames spread outward with great
Jury and dense volumes OF smoke rolled
out rendering 1t impossible TO save
any of the goods except those near
the windows. The same causes pre-
vented the carrying out OF the at
tempt to clear Mr. Strong's store.
of goods having been removed
In ;. Huntington a. Cos store, however
the efforts were more successful. com
paratlVely small amount of smoke made
its appearance on their first floor for some
time and by the aid of the gas lights the
large force of men who volunteered for
the work were enabled to save a large pro-
portion of the show cases, books and sta
tionery, although somewhat damag-
ed by T Mn,,ard These %e, We're placed
kinsley's store, in Miss Strains store and
in the second floor of the Lyman block,
The furniture and other articles were also
removed from the first floor of the Y NJ
4. a. rooms to Anthony x Williams's bar
Der shop. Nearly everything belonging
to the ASSOCIATION on that floor was saved,
even to the stove. 1t was impossible,
however, to gain access to the second floor
and the contents of the kitchen and hall,
including the reed organ, was destroyed.
In the meantime the tremen were direct
ing their efforts to drowning the flames.
Seven streams We're put on to the various
parts OF the building, and under an i'm
mense quantity of water thrown steadily
through the windows the Dire abated for Il
few moments, only to break out with
increased fury. During this time the
volume of smoke that issued from the
crevlces in the roof rapidly increased, aud
1t was soon seen that 1t would be impossi-
BILE to save any considerable portion of
the building, owing to the Roadway
gained 10y the fire in the centre of the
building and the manner in which it was
protected on every side by the various
partitions. About 40 minutes after the
alarm was sounded the flames broke
through the highest part OF the roof and
the whole interior soon became Il mass of
flames, which could only he checked and
not suDdued. The heat soon became in
tense 50 that the spectators deserted the
opposite side Of the streets from the fire
and most of the plate glass windows on
College street from Church street to the
Merchants bank were cracked by the
heat. one of the windows of the drug store
escaping by being protected by Il screen of
canvas. The firemen stuck to their posts
bravely, however, and kept their streams
on osteadily that none of the surround
ing buildings caught fire or We're serious
ly scorched. About 130 a. IN. the roof
over Mr. Strong's store fell in and by 2
O'Clock nothing but shell of the frame
WORK was left standing on the Church
street side. The Hooks rapidly dragged
to the ground the portions standing that
were still III flames and it was we'll
toward daylight before the ruins were in
q safe condition to leave. The Ethan's
ho"e house is lett standing but badly
burned on the north side.
THE Losses
1t was, Of course, impossible to obtain
an accurate statement of the losses during
the progress of the fire, or afterward, owing
TO the uncertainty rs TO what portion of
the contents werr saved.
The loss of the Y. NJ. C. A. on their
building and contents was estimated by
Mr. Van Pdtteu AT $4,000 to $4,000, and
they had an INSURANCE o! $4,000 ON the
building. W. b McKilip valued his
stock at $4,000, insured for about
$1,000 a. G. strong estimated the
value of his stock at $4,000
insured for about $1,000 The value
of Huntington & Co : store and contents
was estimated by Mr., Whitney at $4,000
or $4,000 and their insurance was $500 on
building and $500 on stock, Il total of SlO,-
900, but he could form no estimate of their
loss AS he had no idea as to the amount
saved. l. a. * \. A. Drew succeeded in
moving their stock OF meat. but the fix
lures of the marker We're burned They
estimate heir loss at about $500, and they
had no insurance. Hamilton Nerkinis
loss Is about $500 insured for $500 Phillip
BARRIERS loss on the furniture and filings
of his barber shop will be at least $3.50:
insured for Sl25.
These estimates make the total loss be
tween $4,000 and 5000, and the insur-